The Black Dudley Murder

By Margery Allingham

Book Overview

Murder turns a weekend house part at Black Dudley Manor into a deadly affair when the host is discovered brutally slain. Detective Albert Campion is there to sift through the motives and clues with his signature charm.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0380705753
• ISBN13: 9780380705757
• Release Date: January 1988
• Publisher: Avon Books
• Length: 214 Pages
• Weight: 0.52 lbs.
• Dimensions: 7.0" x 0.8" x 4.5"

Customer Reviews

I'm not a fan

I wanted to like this book, and I tried, but the action seemed unbelievable, the dialog was dull, and the characters irritating. I looked for humor, but it really didn't seem that funny to me. Perhaps if I'd started with a different Allingham book, I'd have done better, but after Crispin, Tey, Sayers & Christie, this book fell flat.

Introducing Albert Campion

At a houseparty, that activity so familiar to mystery readers, a group of bright young things has come together. Some are known to one another and others are not. One odd young man doesn't seem to be known to anyone, even his host. And thus enters Albert Campion, though that is only one of his aliases, of the owl like spectacles, saying and doing the most extraordinary things, into the ranks of Hercule Poirot, Lord Peter Wimsey and other detectives from the Golden Age of Mysteries. THE CRIME AT BLACK DUDLEY proceeds on fairly conventional grounds, the house party in the rather isolated location, an old family legend, an international gang of thieves led by a Master Criminal, a murder and of course 'all is not how it seems'. The plot has many interesting twists and turns, punctuated by some comic scenes that border on farce. Those who already know Campion from later books in the series or the tv series will probably be a bit disappointed with this one since Campion is only a secondary character and is not quite 'himself' yet. Fans will not want to miss this first appearance, however brief; nor it is not a bad place to begin reading the series. Overall this series will appeal to those who are fans of the mysteries written during the Golden Age of the twenties and thirties. Fans of Lord Peter Wimsey, the Saint or Tommy and Tuppence will be delighted with the light hearted adventures of the mysterious Mr. Campion (not his real name)

Campion's first

I bought this first Albert Campion mystery after being wowed by Mystery Mile. Sadly, Albert isn't the main character in this story, though it's his first appearance, so I'm glad I read it. The Crime at Black Dudley is an English country house mystery. There's an odd assortment of guests at Black Dudley, and during the evening, they decide to reenact an old ritual game involving an odd family heirloom--a sinister dagger. The lights get extinguished, the servants are all banished, and the idea is to wander around the mansion in the dark while the dagger passes from hand to hand. Well, it's pretty evident what's going to happen in a case like this: somebody will be stabbed to death. It turns out to be the host's uncle, a wheelchair-bound invalid who wore a mask to cover severe scarring. Except that the guests are initially told that he's just been taken ill, until one, a young new doctor, is asked to falsify a death certificate citing natural causes. He refuses, but the hero of the story, Dr. George Abbershaw goes along with it until the authorities can be notified. Unfortunately for everyone, the murder only complicated things. Albert Campion was at the house party to retrieve a set of secret plans from the uncle, but Dr. Abbershaw found them and burned them, prompting one of the guests, who turns out to be a criminal mastermind, to hold the entire party hostage until the plans are returned to him. There are wonderful twists and turns and even a sweet romance. Secret passages, spies, uneasy alliances, entertaining and eccentric characters, a decrepit-looking old car hiding a Rolls Royce engine under the hood... er, bonnet... Just a nice, complex yet light mystery with a surprise ending. I wasn't nearly as impressed with Campion in this book, but then again, he wasn't the star. I'm sure he'll acquit himself admirably in the next one. It's on my to-be-bought list.

My favorite mystery novel ever (so far)

As a fan of Agatha Christie and the golden age of british mystery i have recently began expanding my list of authors and stumbled upon this book. I read the plot and it sounded right up my alley, but i figured it couldnt possibly be as good as it sounded, but for once it was actually as good as i hoped. The book is perfectly set up, and i never got to a part where i wanted to quit reading. The author manages to avoid the boaring inquest and still solves the crime. I havnt been so happy with a book in years, and this is only the first of the series. If you love an old fashioned mystery, and love a little cheese, and humor mixed in with a murder like i do ... this book is for you.

A Good Read, But Not Her Best

Margery Allingham has a wonderful way with words, and weaves a mystery with all the red herrings, dark crimes and hidden motives that anyone could hope for, all done with a light and humorous hand. Her hero is the somewhat unlikely Albert Campion, man of mystery and well-hidden talents. The time is between the First and Second World Wars in England.In the Black Dudley Murder, Campion is part of a house party at the forbidding Black Dudley mansion, where murder is committed during an after-dinner game. And there could be no better setting for the crime than in the Black Dudley, where secret passageways abound, few of the players are what they seem, and rescue comes from the least expected sources...If you have never read an Allingham mystery, then this is a wonderful introduction, and will encourage you to buy more of her work. If you have read other Campion stories before, then you may be a little disappointed that Campion plays a more cameo role than usual.If you like a very English tale of mystery, with wittily described characters, an urbane hero, and a happy ending, then read this book.